Writing and editing by K-B

Here’s a smattering of the wildly divergent types of things I’ve written and edited.

In 2015, I completed an MFA in Creative Writing at University of California, Riverside, and waltzed away with a narrative nonfiction manuscript and an unwieldy database of agents to pitch. A kindly established author saved me from the DB, so I’m now with agent—and I’m craving pickles.

From January 2011 until I departed Cal State San Marcos in 2012, with an undergrad degree, I had the distinct displeasure of investigating and reporting on the dark deeds of the owner of the hate tabloid, The Koala, and his student fronts—predominantly white, heterosexual male students who led with their bigotry. You can read more about it here, but beware, it’s ugly.

I compiled and edited a report by M2 Technologies, for the Joint Non-lethal Weapons Directorate, analyzing the effectiveness of non-lethal weapons employed in hypothetical scenarios involving WMDs (weapons of mass destruction). I can’t refer you to the report or someone would have to kill you. … Just kidding—about the killing thing, not about the report, which was, of course, completely devoid of humor.

As VP of marketing and communications for FFF Enterprises for four years, I managed to avoid doing bodily harm to the WMEs (white male executives). Just barely. I am also the founding editor of, and contributed to, FFF’s award-winning consumer healthcare magazine, IG Living.

I had the joy of being paid for my opinion for three years as the Sunday political columnist for San Diego North County Times, and I served on the editorial board. If you’re interested in the characters who make up this fascinating country—and the status of their English fluency—take a look at unedited letters to the editor!

In stark contrast to my own politics, I ghostwrote sections of, and edited, One of the Presidents’ Men (Brassey Press, 1995), the autobiography of Maurice H. Stans, secretary of commerce for the Eisenhower and Nixon administrations and treasurer of Nixon’s Committee to Re-elect the President (yes, CREEP). This was a literary adventure, a wonderful education in old school politics and statesmen, and well worth sharing over a beer sometime … or perhaps a nicely aged malt whiskey.

Awards

First Place Columnist, California Newspaper Publishers Association
Pulitzer Prize submission for Commentary
First Place, Society of Professional Journalists San Diego for column writing in large daily newspapers
First Place Columnist, San Diego Press Club Journalism Awards
First Place, GLAAD San Diego for editorial writing
Second Place Columnist, Greater Los Angeles Press Club
Second Place Columnist, National Conference San Diego
Second Place, Chiron Review Annual Poetry Contest
ACE Award for Local Cable Programming
Waveform Award for Excellence in Cable Programming
Finalist Documentary, Hometown USA Video Festival
Third Place, National Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors
Bronze Award, National Health Information Awards, magazine category
Ad-Q Outstanding Advertising Award
Two Bronze Addy Awards for Online Publications